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OpenAMIP
14 AUGUST 2017
What is OpenAMIP?
OpenAMIP is an IP based protocol that facilitates the
exchange of information between an Antenna Controller
Unit and a satellite.
Expanded Use for VSAT Technology
The use of VSAT technology for mobility applications has
expanded greatly in the past five years. During this period
of growth new advances were developed to make it easier
to implement a VSAT solution.
One of the early challenges for VSAT networks was the
fact that the manufacturers of VSAT infrastructure
equipment were separate companies from those that
produced stabilized VSAT antennas. This meant that
custom integration work often needed to be done by a
service provider or network integrator to make sure that the
components of a solution offered to a maritime customer
would work as designed. After extensive work was
undertaken between iDirect and several leading stabilized
antenna manufacturers to make their systems interoperate
iDirect developed the OpenAMIP protocol in 2006 as an
industry-wide open-source standard for antenna-router
integration.
Facilitating the Exchange of Information
with OpenAMIP
OpenAMIP is an IP based protocol that facilitates the
exchange of information between an Antenna Controller
Unit and a satellite router. It allows the router to command
the antenna and enables the use of Automatic Beam
Switching (ABS), which transfers connectivity from one
satellite beam to the next as a vessel passes through
multiple footprints. In addition, OpenAMIP and ABS enable
service providers and their customers to meet government
regulations by commanding the antenna to mute the signal
in no transmit zones.
iDirect has since integrated the open source code into its
mobility VSAT platform, and has established a formalized
qualification program for satellite antenna manufacturers.
The OpenAMIP protocol eliminates the need for proprietary
coding to make new antennas or routers introduced into
the market work together. And it allows maritime
organizations to choose from a wider selection of hardware
to best suit their needs.
iDirect is antenna agnostic and our platform is designed to
work with all major stabilized VSAT manufacturers
products. The following is a list of supported manufacturers
that have adopted the OpenAMIP protocol and qualified
their respective products with iDirect. Numerous additional
manufacturers are currently in the implementation and
testing phase to receive qualification.
OpenAMIP on Sea Tel communications
OpenAMIP is an ASCII message-based protocol. It is a
specification for the interchange of information between an
antenna controller and a satellite modem. OpenAMIP
allows the modem to command the controller to target a
particular satellite and also allows the modem and antenna
controller to exchange information. Using a satellite
modem, for example, will allow automatic instructions
and/or parameter settings to be sent to the Sea Tel
antenna controller to target and track the desired satellite.
These parameters and settings include, but are not limited
to, satellite longitudinal position, tracking frequencies, LNB
band selection, polarity (horizontal/vertical) and cross pol /
co-pol selections to name a few. Sea Tel’s Quad L/O Ku
Band LNB ensures that Sea Tel’s USAT and VSAT
systems are a global antenna system.
Advantages of OpenAMIP TM
60 seconds or less reduction in switch time between
satellites if using iDirect modems.
Significant decreases or complete elimination of
downtime required to configure the Sea Tel antenna for
the desired satellite.
Elimination of mechanical intervention when switching
between multiple satellites or different beams of the
same satellite.
Automation of loading satellite parameters into option
files in the iDirect modem for each desired satellite.
The below picture shows an iDirect Modem interface
through OpenAmip (Ethernet)
“OpenAMIP” protocol developed by iDirect is adopted
as industry standard to improve integration between
stabilized antennas and remote satellite routers.
On September 7, 2010 VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a
company of VT Systems Inc. (VT Systems), announced
that leading manufacturers of stabilized marine VSAT
antennas – Sea Tel and Intellian– have implemented the
OpenAMIP protocol developed by iDirect and completed
successful interoperability testing with iDirect’s suite of
broadband satellite routers. Nine additional antenna
manufacturers are in the process of implementing the
OpenAMIP protocol and working with iDirect to qualify that
their systems are interoperable. iDirect is a world leader in
satellite-based IP communications
technology.“OpenAMIP” protocol developed by iDirect
is adopted as industry standard to improve integration
between stabilized antennas and remote satellite
routers.
iDirect developed the OpenAMIP protocol more
than eleven years ago as an industry-wide, open-source
standard for antenna-router integration after extensive
work was undertaken between iDirect and several leading
stabilized antenna manufacturers to make their systems
interoperate. iDirect has since integrated the open-source
code into its maritime VSAT platform, and has now
established a formalized qualification program for satellite
antenna manufacturers. The OpenAMIP protocol
eliminates the need for proprietary coding to make new
antennas or routers introduced into the market work
together. And it allows maritime organizations to choose
from a wider selection of hardware to best suit their needs.
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